CHARLEEN D. LAUGHLIN Ms. Charleen “Char” D. Laughlin, a member of the Senior Executive Service, is the Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Cyber and Data (SF/S6) at United States Space Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. In this role, she provides executive leadership and managerial direction for the Space Force in all functional areas of cyber, cyber security, communication, information technology, data and artificial intelligence. Her responsibilities include strategy, policy, guidance, standards and metrics, deploying advanced technologies, ensuring digital infrastructure and IT assurance and managing Space Force data and AI integration. Additionally, she leads efforts to organize, train and equip cyberspace forces, drives digital transformation, ensures the Space Force’s IT and digital infrastructure needs are met and integrates data and AI across the Space Force. Ms. Laughlin has more than 15 years of public service, all within the Department of Defense, and three years in industry. Her experience in DoD includes assignments with the Missile Defense Agency, Department of the Air Force, DoD Chief Information Officer, Under Secretary of Defense for Policy and the Joint Staff. Her expertise includes cybersecurity, test and evaluation, policy, cyber operations, acquisition, data and AI. Prior to her current position, Ms. Laughlin served as the Vice Director for the Joint Staff J-6 Command, Control, Communications and Computers/Cyber Directorate and the inaugural Joint Staff Chief Digital and AI Officer where she led digital transformation of the Joint Staff and the Combined/Joint Force in support of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. EDUCATION 2007 Bachelor of Science, Engineering, Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering, Needham, Mass. 2014 Master of Science, Systems Engineering, University of Alabama, Huntsville 2015 Graduate Certificate, Network Security, University of Massachusetts, Lowell 2018 Master of Science, Government Information Leadership, National Defense University, Washington, D.C. CAREER CHRONOLOGY 1. December 2007–March 2010, Systems Engineer, Booz Allen Hamilton, Huntsville, Ala. 2. March 2010–February 2013, Test and Evaluation Engineer, Test Directorate, Missile Defense Agency, Huntsville, Ala. 3. February 2013–March 2016, Cybersecurity Lead, Family of Advanced Beyond Line-of-Sight Terminals, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Air Force Materiel Command, Burlington, Mass. 4. March 2016–March 2019, Deputy Chief Cybersecurity Engineer, Department of Defense Chief Information Officer, Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va. 5. March 2019–August 2020, Director of Cybersecurity and Cyber Capabilities, Office of the Principal Cyber Advisor, OSD, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va. 6. August 2020–January 2021, Chief of Staff to the DoD CIO, DoD CIO, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va. 7. January 2021–September 2022, Deputy, Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control Cross-Functional Team and CJADC2 Division Chief, Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va. 8. September 2022–June 2025, Vice Director for the Joint Staff J-6 Command, Control, Communications, and Computers/Cyber Directorate and Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office, Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va. 9. June 2025–present, Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Cyber and Data, U.S. Space Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va. MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS Joint Distinguished Civilian Service Award OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS 2018 Distinguished Graduate, National Defense University College of Information and Cyberspace PUBLICATIONS “Is Integration Really There? Students’ Perception of Integration in Their Project-based Curriculum,” Frontiers in Education, 2007 “On Puck Motion Down a Thin Film on an Inclined Plane,” Society for Industrial & Applied Math, 2003 (Current as of September 2025)